THORNTON, Colo. – Rising temperatures across the Front Range may be to blame for a van explosion in Thornton that left a Thornton business owner injured Saturday morning.
Pictures of the charred van were tweeted by the Thornton Fire Department after they responded to what they initially called an “incident’ in the area of E. 88th Avenue and Washington Street just before 7:15 a.m.
The van, which was used for a hardwood flooring business, caught fire after chemical supplies in the back exploded, according to a spokesperson from the Thornton Fire Department.
The spokesperson told Denver7 heat inside the van may have caused the explosion, which left the business owner injured. He was taken to a hospital for treatment; his condition is not known at this time.
Crews finishing clean up at apartment complex near 88th and Washington in #Thornton. @ThorntonPolice update: hardwood floor installation materials inside white van exploded this morning. Fire spread to blue van next to it. Owner of the white van is in the hospital. @DenverChannel pic.twitter.com/ysURY8672Z
— Connor Wist (@connorwist) June 9, 2018
Another van right next to the one that exploded was also damaged. That van belongs to the business owner’s girlfriend, the spokesperson said.
No other cars or nearby buildings were damaged.
The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental.